On Friday, five fire wardens were posted to patrol Bridport House 24-hours a day, while tenants were encouraged to ignore common practice of ‘stay put’ if a fire breaks out and instead evacuate.

Hackney council have also offered tenants of the eight-storey building alternative accommodation if they do not feel safe while the problem is further investigated.

The latest in a string of defects to beset the wooden framed building opposite Hoxton Park was spotted by engineers during work being carried out to repair external brickwork.

They have ordered a probe into the cavity wall insulation to ensure it complies with building regulations and fire safety standards.

Other issues from December 2018 and February 2019 include bricks not being fixed correctly and the base of a metal balcony falling off. These issues remained two years after being flagged as dangerous.

Despite tenants expressing their fear, Mayor of Hackney Phil Glanville said the fire wardens are a ‘temporary precaution’.

“There is no immediate risk to tenants, but we will always take every possible step to ensure our tenants and their homes are safe,” he said.

“I will continue to work with residents over the next few weeks to ensure the council continues to respond appropriately.”

Original Source
Hackney Gazette